Coming off the biggest fight of his MMA career at UFC 167 last November, Johny Hendricks gets his second welterweight title shot in just under four months after a five-round war with Georges St-Pierre many believed he won.

With the vacant UFC welterweight title on the line thanks to St-Pierre’s leave of absence, Hendricks is once again one win away from being crowned the champion at 170-pounds but before he can start building his legacy as the next welterweight king — he has to get through the resurging Robbie Lawler first.

A stacked UFC 171 card live from Dallas will also be highlighted by a battle between welterweight standouts Carlos Condit and Tyron Woodley, a lightweight collision between Diego Sanchez and Myles Jury, and another important welterweight match-up featuring Jake Shields and Hector Lombard.

Here are my picks.

Welterweight Championship: Johny Hendricks (1) vs. Robbie Lawler (3)

Whether or not you agree with the popular opinion that Johny Hendricks should already be the UFC welterweight champion, the fact that he’s still one of the most talented fighters in the division is undeniable. Top-tier wrestling ability coupled with devastating power in his hands, Hendricks has the ability to finish his opponent in a hurry.

One of the best stories of 2013 was Robbie Lawler’s improbable return to prominence as a UFC contender. After dismantling both Josh Koscheck and Bobby Voelker, Lawler shocked everyone when he took out Rory MacDonald in an impressive decision victory at UFC 167. Vastly improved movement and scary power similar to Hendricks, Lawler is another fighter you don’t want to catch yourself standing right in front of for too long.

As great as Lawler’s comeback story has been, this is Hendricks’ fight to lose. After putting one a fantastic show against GSP, look for Hendricks and Lawler to put on a striking clinic before the Oklahoma native lands his signature left right on his opponent’s chin to become the new UFC welterweight champion.

Pat’s Pick: Hendricks via KO

Welterweight: Carlos Condit (2) vs. Tyron Woodley (11)

The former interim UFC welterweight champion, Carlos Condit is always a threat at 170-pounds. Coming off an impressive TKO victory in a rematch with Martin Kampmann, Condit knows he could be next in line for a title shot especially after putting up a Fight of the Night performance against Hendricks at UFC 158 last March. Scary striking ability coupled with a real knack for finishing fights, look for Condit to come out swinging.

After campaigning for this fight against Condit, Tyron Woodley has a prime opportunity to jump ahead in the standings with a win over the perennial contender. While a lot of people have started to focus on his powerful punches as of late, Woodley is also a former NCAA Division I wrestler who can certainly dish out some big takedowns if need be.

Look for Condit to dictate the pace in this one early. While Woodley is likely to throw some big power shots, the faster and more elusive Condit should be able to keep his opponent at a distance before landing a nice combination of knees and elbows to finish him off.

Pat’s Pick: Condit via TKO

Lightweight: Diego Sanchez (15) vs. Myles Jury

If there’s one thing you can say about Diego Sanchez, it’s that there is absolutely no quit in the guy. Coming off a mind-boggling war against Gilbert Melendez at UFC 166 last October, Sanchez has still never been finished and there’s a good reason for that. Always game to stand and bang with any opponent, Sanchez is like a zombie that just keeps on coming no matter how many times or how hard you hit him.

An underrated lightweight prospect, Myles Jury can make some noise at 155-pounds with a win over a veteran warrior like Sanchez. Crisp and precise kickboxing coupled with very solid Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Jury is an intelligent fighter who likes to incorporate all aspects of his extensive skill-set into his fights.

Diego will be Diego. He’ll walk in a straight line towards Jury and take everything the Michigan native has to throw at him — the problem is that’ll probably be enough for his opponent to come out on top. Well-timed strikes from the outside and constant movement should be a recipe for victory for the 25-year-old Jury.

Pat’s Pick: Jury via unanimous decision

Welterweight: Jake Shields (6) vs. Hector Lombard (12)

Jake Shields is a nightmare matchup for any UFC welterweight. An absolute grinder, Shields’ strategy is pretty simple — takedown and control top position for the better part of three rounds. Limited striking prowess, Shields also has a great Brazilian jiu-jitsu game but his latest wins over Demian Maia and Tyron Woodley were anything but clinics on the ground.

In his first fight after dropping down to 170-pounds, Hector Lombard made quick work of UFC veteran Nate Marquardt after knocking him out in just under two minutes at UFC 166. Though Lombard is perhaps best known for his highlight-reel knockouts, he also has a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a background in judo to add to his dangerous striking game.

Even though Lombard is a legitimate threat who could end the fight pretty quick, Shields has an uncanny ability to isolate powerful strikers early and should be able to do just enough to come away with another one of his grinding three-round victories.

Pat’s Picks: Shields via unanimous decision

Light Heavyweight: Ovince St. Preux vs. Nikita Krylov

One of the most exciting Strikeforce acquisitions, Ovince St. Preux went 6-1 as a member of the now-defunct promotion and is now 2-0 as a member of the UFC. Coming off a knockout of Cody Donovan at UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs. Sonnen last August, the 30-year-old looks to continue to climb the 205-pound ranks with another impressive victory.

A knockout artist in his own right, Nikita Krylov moves down to 205-pounds after coming into the UFC as a heavyweight. An impressive TKO victory over Walt Harris at UFC on Fox: Henderson vs. Thomson in January allowed him to take Thiago Silva’s place for this fight against St. Preux.

In 19 fights, Krylov has only gone past the first round once and never been in a fight that’s gone to a decision — this fight won’t reach one either. Look for the faster and technically superior St. Preux to pick his opponent apart and put him to sleep early.

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